mmmeee0's (new) RIOT series: Indian Summer

Sachyriel

Banned
mmmeee0's RIOT series: #1. Indian Summer

mmmeee0's
RIOT
(< "

/H-'

/ \

Spray Painter Dude #1
SERIES
(< "
/H-'
/ \

Spry Painter Dude #2

#1. Winnipeg 1962
, "Indian Summer"


*Boring Intro*Welcome to the first in what should be a series of many little TLs about activism. RIOT is an acronym for Rebellious Insights into Other Timelines. I don't really care if you like the outcome, but this took me a lot to get through. So read it and review. In this TL, as I always take liberties with my TLs to the extent of ignoring a plausible POD in hopes others can see where I'm coming from. For this one in particular, I've chosen a world where Native Canadian rights didn't go exactly as planned for OTL. One of the biggest butterflies of this TL is that Natives don't get the right to vote in the 1960s, though I'm going to say it runs much deeper than that because it still only takes an additional two years to come to this. Some others are a lack of recruitment due to the prevailing fear natives would use their military knowledge to revolt (no concessions to veterans). Hopefully you don't think this is advocating violence based on race, I'm not advocating that violence at all, so don't advocate my banning. I called it Indian Summer because for a little tweak to the TL, it's been unusually warm for the past six months. All times are approximations.*Continue*

22/06/1962 (Summer Solstice)
Winnipeg
Weather Forecast: Blazing


8:00 AM
West Broadway[1]
Native representatives, people of many tribes gather in a house and talk about their common plight, especially their rights. Without the ability to vote they can get no assistance from the law for their plights such as working conditions and proper representation. After some quick notes comparing their formerly underground movements that had been separated by their eagerness to help their own tribes and reservations first. The basic plans already made for their demonstration, this meeting was only to confirm that nothing had gone sour at the last second. An estimated 20,000 people were to march on the Legislature from each of the sacred four directions, North, East, South and West[2]. However, the event organizers know this is a risk, since the event had only planned for the closing of some lanes, and their numbers might swell to close all lanes.

8:15 AM
City Hall, North Downtown

Stephen Juba[3], mayor of Winnipeg, was pressured by some of the provincial legislature members to revoke the demonstration permit for the planned Native march. Citing the economic disruptions that the closing of a few of Winnipeg's Major roads would have not only for the one day, but the allowing of Natives people a showing of strength for them as a people would not only result in their getting enfranchisement, but the work force would be showing a united front in the demonstration as well. Soon they would be demanding that labour laws extend over Native workers in the eyes of the law as well. The Mayor didn't know they had been bribed by business to men to this task, and revoked the permit. He was outraged to find out that government-agents within the organizations had suspected a larger gathering than just a few dozen people estimated before.

8:30 AM
March Start Points

The first gatherings at the designated meeting places happen. At intersection of Sherbrook and Broadway[4] begin, a few dozen people who are early for the march standing around and discussing more than the action at hand, while near the train station[5] a few native peoples and allies gather around the demonstration signs and discuss the day. In Osborne village, a group of mostly Metis people, with some from as South America showing up for solidarity, are in Osborne circle[6] milling about. The last group is a bit north of where Memorial and Osbourne[7] merge, trying not to get hit by traffic, which isn't stopped fully just yet.

8:45 AM
March Start Points

There are enough people to block traffic so that it slows to a crawl, radios talking about avoiding these busy intersections. However, the organizers know there are more people about to show up, since the call went out for all groups to be marching to be at 9:30 AM. Even so, as some police units showed up to prevent anymore traffic, the permit-holders at each site had to show them their permit. To these units on the ground, it was all in order and the police watched as the natives groups grew in strength, keeping the peace.

9:00 AM
City Hall

The City starts assisting the police in planning how to disperse the natives, the police forces gathering up gear and trying to best handle the flow of natives. However, they don't deploy yet because they're not sure how many people will be showing up and want to prevent armed reinforcements. This indecision costs them as the street units start backing off, though still not letting in traffic. No one remembers to tell the permit-holders that the events should be cancelled, some are too excited to 'beat the uppity buffalo'. A sympathizer to the native cause phones the protest headquarters in West Broadway, though the message is lost due to confusion.

9:15 AM
East March Point

Because they have a longer marching route, the people near the train station start earlier to arrive at the same time[8]. A young mans voice draws attention to their route and smiles to the crowd. "My friends, today we march with the sun toward a greater sunset, where we shall show the world that we will not sit and accept nothing while they have everything we try to achieve for our people. For we are strong, and proud. We shall show them our numbers and show them we demand to be given our rights. Come with my friends, we shall meet others on the way and reach the legislature to give them a day they will never forget!" he cried out, inspiring them to cheer. One thousand and six hundred-something people begin their march on the Manitoba Legislature. In a few minutes they had stolen the entire west-bound half of Broadway and the dividing strip for their march. Police units kept up with them, waiting for back up from others; the pace is slow, as they try to keep their elders in the middle of the group[9].

9:30 AM
West March Point
The West part begins their march without the sirens, a man given place to stand and addresses the crowd. "Brothers and sisters, today we shall show the white mans government that we are united and will not back down because we demand our human rights in what they dare to call a democracy. We want to stop being treated like children! Let's go tell it to their faces!" he shouts, getting down to lead them toward their goal of the legislature. The police who travel with them are slightly sympathetic, though still merely waiting for back up. About two thousand people come in for the march, more joining a long the way. The march on the Northern lanes, and the middle track of the street, watching traffic continue on the two southern lanes.

9:30 AM
South March Point

The South waits to march as a young woman stands up to tell them it's time. Then police cars pull up to the bridge and move to block it with the cars and themselves. This doesn't change the marcher's determination though, and after a stunned moment they surge forward. "Hurry!" is heard, "Get across before they can stop us!" more shouting drowns out the rest. Some cars skid to a halt, causing minor damage as traffic backs up. However, the unorganized mob meets with police, who are dressed in riot gear. Some scuffles near the edges result in police and protesters falling over the edge, and into the river[10]. As the sides begin to break, more police try to stop them, thinning out their line to even more bending stress; a group of young native men turn over one car on the north-bound lane and their counterparts on the South-bound lane achieve the same. One older man named Tommy Prince[11] scrambles on top of a over-turned police car and shouts to the people around him as they distract the police, he yells them encouragement as they take the bridge. As they look back once across, they can see several dead and dying police, stripped of their weapons and even more dead native protesters. A thousand and two hundred people continue, those who survive and haven't fled or fallen.

9:35 AM
Legislature

Police start arrive in force, taking a route to it from the North-East[12] to avoid run ins with groups of natives. However to avoid letting other crimes go unpunished they have to be there in barely-mustered force for now. The hear the gunshots and noises to the south, however they think it's been won by the authorities when it stops. They don't for long though, as they send someone to confirm and they return to say that the natives are coming. The call for back up goes out to the headquarters and the police pull closer to the Legislature.

9:45 AM
North March Point
When the other three groups come into sight, the last group of people start walking. There are no speeches, they had seen the police around the legislature and decided to show up with their numbers. However, when they come into contact with some of the earlier survivors from the South, who say that the police tried to block their way and were crushed, they are horrified. With the last group of two thousand and eight hundred people joining the other three groups, the groups number a bit over eight thousand people as they've grown significantly over the time of their marching.

9:50 AM
Legislature

With a growing legion of angry native people coming down onto the legislature, the police are not ready for the sea of people that are advancing on them. The senior police officer who tries to talk to them is hit by several bullets fired by bitter members of the South. This sets off a small firefight between the police, who number in the dozens and the natives, who are armed with their own guns as well as those stolen from the police on the bridge. As the police are killed, though they have the high ground they are gradually pushed right into the front columns of the building. Natives rush forward and grab the guns from the fallen authorities and the firefight is quickly over. With two hundred police killed and well over three hundred natives dead or injured, the day has turned bad for both sides.

10:00 AM
Legislature

Because of the firefight, some of the less passionate demonstrators have fled the scene, as have many of the non-native bystanders and co-protesters. But while they run, the angry men of the riot break into the legislature, and subdue the guards fairly quickly. Most of the protesters take positions inside the legislature, finding more than they bargained for inside. The legislature was evacuating, though it had run into a second set of natives breaking into other windows and doors. With these hostages the tables had suddenly turned.

10:15 AM
Legislature

Continual police reinforcements are taking a toll on the Native rioters, however with the hostages now announced to the police the area has settled into a stand-off. The rioters still have control of the front door, hiding behind the columns with weak barricades at the top of the stairs. Police have begun using boats on thew water to cover these escape routes.

10:30 AM
City Hall

Working together with the Army to muster more men from the near by Minto Armouries, the city and province send police boats to the Osbourne Bridge. However the authorities are getting conflicted reports of the provincial courts, which lie just North of the Legislature. With their presence supposedly needed in these buildings as well, more provincial police are called in from other duties. However, with some of the natives who missed the rally now hearing about it, there are increased voices outside the Civic Centre.

*more to come until editing deadline*



*some Footnotes

  1. I've lived in this neighbourhood. Lots of natives, though the area is kind of mixed due to the low-rent.
  2. This is a teaching of my own people, but I used it here, because I thought it made more sense than just a single direction
  3. OTL mayor, just didn't have to deal something like this.
  4. There's a huge red church here, by a gas station. Community centre, and a great landmark to gather around.
  5. Old building, though I'm pretty sure they wouldn't let the natives gather inside it today. I like to think they met at the Forks for the marching point here. Historical Indian meeting place if you ask the Historians.
  6. "Circle Jerk" is what most people call it. Lots of weed dealers today in OTL, with a place that sells some good pipes and stuff near it barely South-West of the Bridge.
  7. This area has a memorial to soldiers, which is why it's called Memorial. Small park around it.
  8. There's a large clock on the front of the train station, so they'd probably know what time it is.
  9. Elders are an important part of native culture since they're the teachers of our cultures, the ones who know most of what remains that we can pass down.
  10. You can be sure these are the first fatalities.
  11. Tommy Prince is OTL's most decorated Aboriginal Canadian soldier. He was from Manitoba so I gave him a cameo.
  12. To the North-East of the Legislature is City Hall, so they're going to be guarding this part of the city more than others.
It's unfinished and rushed for May 1st. Added a map so people who need to see it can.

untitled.PNG
 
Last edited:

MacCaulay

Banned
I dig that you provided a map. I'm not normally into timelines, but for some reason a timeline with Michael Crichton-esque footnotes is alright.
 

Sachyriel

Banned
Just a bump to remind people there is still a contest related to this thread. Find the little A in a circle and head to this thread to tell me! Prizes for the first three! A spray paint dude will spray the link if you roll over it (I hope).
(< "

/H-'
/ \
Spray Paint Dude #4
 
Top